Throughout the entire history of pneumatic tires, users have been plagued with the problems caused by loss of air, either through punctures or slow leaks. Such loss of air meant having to change the tire before the user could drive any further, as running on a flat tire would have caused severe damage to the tire. It could also have damaged the rim of the wheel and other parts of the running gear because the conventional pneumatic tire, when deflated and run in that condition tends to leave the rim and, if it remains on the rim, provides an inadequate cushion against shocks from the road.
A pneumatic tire has been developed which has the ability to be run in a totally deflated condition without damaging the rim or sustaining damage itself. While this tire represents a great advance over the prior art, its successful operation is largely dependent on its bead portions staying on the bead seats of the rim when it is run without any inflation.
A further problem of pneumatic tire-wheel assemblies is the occasional slippage of the tire circumferentially on the wheel under high torque conditions.
The principal object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a wheel and tire assembly such that the bead portions of the tire will remain affixed to the wheel and prevent displacement even when the tire is run without inflation.